Henry Hodge
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Egar Garfield Hodge, OBE
(12 January 1944 - 18 June 2009), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Hodge, was an English
solicitor
and judge
of the High Court of England and Wales.
Hodge was educated at Chigwell School
and read law at Balliol College, Oxford
, graduating in 1965. He qualified as a solicitor in 1970. From 1977, he practised as a solicitor in north London with the firm, Hodge Jones & Allen, that he founded with partners Peter Jones and Patrick Allen. He became a recorder
in 1993, and a circuit judge in October 1999, when he retired from his firm. He was appointed Chief Immigration Adjudicator in 2001.
On 1 October 2004, he became the fourth solicitor to sit as an High Court judge
in England and Wales
, after Sir John Wall
(appointed 1990), Sir Michael Sachs
(appointed in 1993) and Sir Lawrence Collins
(appointed in 2000). In April 2005, he became president of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal
.
He served as Deputy Chairman of the Legal Aid Board from 1996 to 1999. He was chairman of the National Council for Civil Liberties, and deputy director of the Child Poverty Action Group
. He received an OBE for services to the Social Security Advisory Committee
. He was also a Vice-President of the Law Society
.
In October 2007 Hodge caused great controversy when he blocked a decision from the Home Office
to deport an immigrant from Sierra Leone
after the man carried out a number of sexual attacks on women in London parks. Hodge's reason for not seeking to deport him was that the criminal in question had no family left in the Sierra Leone, the country he left to come to Britain when aged six.
He married Labour politician Margaret Hodge
in 1978. In addition to a son and daughter from her first marriage, they have two daughters together. He died of leukaemia on 18 June 2009.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(12 January 1944 - 18 June 2009), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Hodge, was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
of the High Court of England and Wales.
Hodge was educated at Chigwell School
Chigwell School
Chigwell School is an English co-educational independent school/public school in Chigwell, in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It was founded in 1629 by Samuel Harsnett, a former Archbishop of York . There are around 730 pupils aged between 7 and 18 years...
and read law at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, graduating in 1965. He qualified as a solicitor in 1970. From 1977, he practised as a solicitor in north London with the firm, Hodge Jones & Allen, that he founded with partners Peter Jones and Patrick Allen. He became a recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
in 1993, and a circuit judge in October 1999, when he retired from his firm. He was appointed Chief Immigration Adjudicator in 2001.
On 1 October 2004, he became the fourth solicitor to sit as an High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, after Sir John Wall
John Wall (judge)
Sir John Anthony Wall CBE was a British lawyer and the first visually impaired judge of the High Court of Justice of the 20th century....
(appointed 1990), Sir Michael Sachs
Michael Sachs (judge)
Sir Michael Alexander Geddes Sachs was the second English solicitor after John Wall to be appointed as a High Court judge...
(appointed in 1993) and Sir Lawrence Collins
Lawrence Collins
Lawrence Antony Collins, Baron Collins of Mapesbury, PC , is a British judge and former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. He was also appointed to the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong on April 11, 2011 as a non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions...
(appointed in 2000). In April 2005, he became president of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal
Asylum and Immigration Tribunal
The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal was a tribunal constituted in the United Kingdom with jurisdiction to hear appeals from many immigration and asylum decisions...
.
He served as Deputy Chairman of the Legal Aid Board from 1996 to 1999. He was chairman of the National Council for Civil Liberties, and deputy director of the Child Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group is a UK charity that works to alleviate poverty and social exclusion.The stated aims of the CPAG are:CPAG programs include:* Research and publish the latest facts and figures of family and child poverty in the UK...
. He received an OBE for services to the Social Security Advisory Committee
Social Security Advisory Committee
The Social Security Advisory Committee is a statutory body that provides impartial advice to the UK government on social security issues. When the SSAC reports on government proposals for regulations the report must be presented to Parliament together with the regulations and a statement from the...
. He was also a Vice-President of the Law Society
Law Society of England and Wales
The Law Society is the professional association that represents the solicitors' profession in England and Wales. It provides services and support to practising and training solicitors as well as serving as a sounding board for law reform. Members of the Society are often consulted when important...
.
In October 2007 Hodge caused great controversy when he blocked a decision from the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
to deport an immigrant from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
after the man carried out a number of sexual attacks on women in London parks. Hodge's reason for not seeking to deport him was that the criminal in question had no family left in the Sierra Leone, the country he left to come to Britain when aged six.
He married Labour politician Margaret Hodge
Margaret Hodge
Margaret Hodge MBE MP, also known as Lady Hodge by virtue of her husband's knighthood, is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Barking since 1994. She was the first Minister for Children in 2003 and was Minister of State for Culture and Tourism at the Department...
in 1978. In addition to a son and daughter from her first marriage, they have two daughters together. He died of leukaemia on 18 June 2009.
External links
- - Hodge Jones & Allen LLP
- Henry Hodge - Daily Telegraph obituary
- - HJA mourns the passing of founder Sir Henry Hodge - Patrick Allen tribute